title: Asthma Heredity, Cord Blood IgE and Asthma-Related Symptoms and Medication in Adulthood: A Long-Term Follow-Up in a Swedish Birth Cohort.
abstract: Cord blood IgE has previously been studied as a possible predictor of asthma and allergic diseases. Results from different studies have been contradictory, and most have focused on high-risk infants and early infancy. Few studies have followed their study population into adulthood. This study assessed whether cord blood IgE levels and a family history of asthma were associated with, and could predict, asthma medication and allergy-related respiratory symptoms in adults. A follow-up was carried out in a Swedish birth cohort comprising 1,701 consecutively born children. In all, 1,661 individuals could be linked to the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register and the Medical Birth Register, and 1,227 responded to a postal questionnaire. Cord blood IgE and family history of asthma were correlated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication at 32-34 years. Elevated cord blood IgE was associated with a two- to threefold increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and dispensed anti-inflammatory asthma medication. Similarly, a family history of asthma was associated with an increased risk of pollen-induced respiratory symptoms and anti-inflammatory medication. However, only 8% of the individuals with elevated cord blood IgE or a family history of asthma in infancy could be linked to current dispensation of anti-inflammatory asthma medication at follow-up. In all, 49 out of 60 individuals with dispensed anti-inflammatory asthma medication at 32-34 years of age had not been reported having asthma at previous check-ups of the cohort during childhood. Among those, only 5% with elevated cord blood IgE and 6% with a family history of asthma in infancy could be linked to current dispensation of anti-inflammatory asthma medication as adults. Elevated cord blood IgE and a positive family history of asthma were associated with reported respiratory symptoms and dispensed asthma medication in adulthood, but their predictive power was poor in this long-time follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping University, Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic, County Council of Östergötland, Linköping, Sweden.
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bråbäck
authors.forename: Olof
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zetterström
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zara
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fälth-Magnusson
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012306:Risk; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D000485:Allergens; D007073:Immunoglobulin E